Muslim prisoners 'at risk of attack' in youth jails

Muslim prisoners may need extra protection from reprisals inflicted by other inmates following the London bombings, an inquiry into the murder of a teenager by his cellmate is expected to hear today.

The chairman of the Zahid Mubarek inquiry, Mr Justice Keith, said in a note to inquiry delegates that Muslim prisoners are now more at risk of attack.

"The position of Muslims in prison is now high on the agenda - not simply because Zahid Mubarek was a Muslim, but also because of the significant increase in Muslim prisoners in recent years, and the possibility of reprisals against them by other prisoners in the wake of recent terrorist outrages," he said.

"What steps, if any, are being taken to afford Muslim prisoners adequate protection from other inmates?"

Mr Justice Keith was addressing delegates ahead of an inquiry seminar, the fifth in a series of six, looking at racism and religious tolerance in prisons.

The inquiry is examining the circumstances of the murder of 19-year-old Zahid Mubarek at the hands of his racist cellmate, Robert Stewart, at Feltham young offenders institution, west London, in 2000.

Mr Justice Keith asks whether race relations liaison officers in prisons should no longer be prison officers and should be brought in from outside the service.

He said specialist professionals from outside the prison service may be able to "get under the skin" of ethnic minority prisoners more effectively and find out what their concerns are. He also asked whether imams who operate in prisons should take on a more pastoral role, as chaplains often do.

The seminar will hear evidence from the Prison Service's director general, Phil Wheatley, and Muslim adviser to the Prison Service, Ahtsham Ali.